Role of Social Media on Information Accessibility

Farzana Parveen Tajudeen, Noor Ismawati Jaafar, Ainin Sulaiman

Abstract

Social media is the gathering place of a large pool of consumers. It is the repository of consumer information and acts as a means of spreading information to build market presence. Most literature states that organizational usage of social media enhances customer relations, but social media also acts as a medium for information acquisition. Not many previous studies have investigated the role of social media on information accessibility. Therefore this study examined the impact of social media on information accessibility. A total of 171 organization responded to the survey and the result of the survey showed that social media usage has a positive impact on information accessibility. Also it was found that factors such as interactivity, trust and institutional pressure positively influence social media usage in organizations. This study provided a clearer understanding on the real importance of social media and its benefits towards information acquisition. The results would motivate and guide organizations in social media usage for information acquisition which is important for understanding the customers, competitors and the industry and to develop strategies for enhancing business performance.